Event Information

Description: 

Human milk is the global gold standard of infant nutrition and may be especially beneficial for the developing brain. The extent to which breastfeeding and human milk exposure promote optimal brain health and cognitive function, however, is still a topic of debate. This may be attributed in part to the complex and variable composition of human milk, which is shaped by maternal (and infant) characteristics, and a lack of studies that use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure structural brain development. A deeper understanding of human milk composition and the specific factors that may be most beneficial for structural brain development is needed. Findings may guide refinement of current dietary recommendations for mothers and feeding practices for infants to better ensure optimal brain growth and maturation during a critical period of development.

Human milk carbohydrates are promising initial candidates to better understand the role of breastfeeding and human milk exposure on structural brain development. While human milk composition is 7% lactose, more recent evidence suggests that the carbohydrate compounds in human milk extend beyond lactose. Exposure to more novel human milk carbohydrates, which may be naturally occurring or derived from the maternal diet, may confer favorable (or unfavorable) effects on infant brain development. In this webinar, we will discuss the state-of-the-science on associations of human milk carbohydrates with infant brain development and cognitive function in the first 24 months of life. Specifically, we will discuss reported influences of simple carbohydrates (fructose) and complex carbohydrates (oligosaccharides) on structural brain development in human milk-fed infants.

Moderator:

• Dr Lynne Ausman | Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Professor of International Nutrition, Tufts University

Dr. Lynne Ausman is the Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Professor in International Nutrition, as well as a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. She has been an active investigator in USAID funded projects in Malawi, Uganda, Nepal, and most recently, in Jordan as part of the Feed the Future Jordan Nutrition Innovation Lab.  She has been active in experimental studies with humans on lipoprotein response to several vegetable oils, trans fats and soy protein,  and the glycemic response as modified by various meal components. Most recently she has been examining the molecular mechanism of action of carotenoids (both provitamin A and non-provitamin A) against several chronic diseases.

Speaker:

• Dr. Paige Berger, Investigator of Pediatrics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an Instructor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School 

Paige Berger, PhD, RDN is an Investigator of Pediatrics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an Instructor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Berger’s research examines the roles of infant nutrition and human milk composition on brain growth and maturation via magnetic resonance imaging. Her current work investigates the impact of human milk oligosaccharides on structural brain development in preterm infants, who are uniquely vulnerable to brain injury and neurodevelopmental deficits.